Saving Beth
by Romancing-the-Dead
Summary: A smutty one-shot that takes place after Daryl singlehandedly rescues Beth from Grady Memorial. Pure fantasy.


Daryl slouched on a wooden chair next to the couch in Father Gabriel's office. Early afternoon sunlight spilled through a half boarded-up window. Beth was stretched across the sofa, finally resting after their harrowing escape from Grady Memorial the night before. It still surprised him that he'd been able to find her. He was an experienced hunter and a damn good tracker, but her trail had more than grown cold.

He studied her while she slept. He had missed her those months they'd been apart – more than he'd expected and more than he cared to admit. She had a smile that came easy, and an innocence that kept hope alive in him. But there was something different about her now. Something he hadn't yet been able to put his finger on.

She began to fidget in her sleep. He brushed aside a lock of blonde hair that had fallen across her face and wondered what she was dreaming. He could tell that she'd endured terrible things at Grady, but he didn't know the details. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

He stood and paced the length of the room. The heels of his boots were worn and barely made a sound. The church had already been abandoned when he and Beth arrived a few hours earlier. Part of him was disappointed that Rick and the others had already left for DC. But part of him was relishing the time alone with her. He'd been fighting hard against the urge to pull her into his arms ever since they'd safely cleared the Atlanta city limits.

"Daryl!" Beth shrieked.

He quickly closed the distance and returned to the chair by the couch. "I'm right here."

"I was dreaming," she said, her breath coming in rapid bursts. "I thought you left me here...by myself." Her blue eyes were wide with panic.

"Naw, I ain't gonna do that."

She smiled and shyly looked at her hands for a moment. "Tell me this ain't a dream….that we're really here…..in this little backwoods church…...you an' me."

"It's real," he answered, looking her directly in the eyes.

She swallowed and shifted her gaze toward the floor. "I thought about you when I was trapped in that hospital. I thought about you a lot."

His heart thudded inside his chest. "Why?" He tried to sound nonchalant.

"I kept hopin' you'd save me. Like some stupid fairy tale. I just thought about you comin' in one day and takin' me outta that place."

"I followed that car that took ya, the one with the white cross in the back window", he told her. "I ran for miles. Tracked it until I lost the damn trail." He shook his head and let it fall in shame.

"But you found me and that's what matters." She looked up. "Thanks for not givin' up."

He nodded and chewed his bottom lip. There was no way he could've given up. He hadn't been able to get her out of his head after she'd been taken away from him. Every time he'd closed his eyes he thought about her...how it felt when she'd grabbed ahold of his hand in the cemetery that day...the way her body fit against him when she'd tried to console him with a hug...he'd been such an ass that day, blowing up at her like a jerk. She deserved better.

Out of nowhere she began to sob. "I was so scared. When I woke up in that hospital room I didn't know where I was." She sniffed. "I didn't know where you were. They told me I was alone when they found me." Tears streaked her face.

Daryl sat motionless, not knowing what to do or say. Then, all at once, she leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. At first, he tensed up. It was an old defensive reflex he'd learned many years ago, and it took a moment before he was able to relax.

"Dawn was awful." Beth continued. "She was delusional. She was so sure someone was comin' for us."

He slowly wrapped his arms around her in a loose embrace. "She honestly thought she deserved an award for keepin' us alive." Beth pulled back slightly so she could wipe her tears on the bottom of her sweater. "She let one of her officers rape this one girl. Her name was Joan. Dawn said as long as her officers were happy they could keep us safe and as long as they kept us safe she could keep us all alive. She let it happen, Daryl. And then one day he came for me..." Her voice gave way to a new set of angry sobs that wracked her entire body.

Daryl flexed his jaw in anger. He pulled her closer and stroked the back of her hair. "Let it out," he coaxed. He wanted to stop her pain. Without thinking, he kissed her forehead.

As the afternoon wore on, the two found themselves hungry. Daryl had nothing left in his pack, and Beth had taken nothing from the hospital. "I'll go see if Rick and them left any supplies when they took off for DC," Daryl said, as he headed for the door of the church office.

"Wait!" Beth shouted. He stopped abruptly and turned to face her. "I'll go with you."

Fortunately, someone had thought to leave a small stash hidden beneath one of the pews. Daryl grinned when he noticed the canned peaches and potted meats. "Look, fresh water too," he said, handing her one of three bottles. "They knew I'd come back this way after I found ya," he explained.

But Beth wasn't paying attention. She scanned the blood splattered sanctuary walls, and then fixed her gaze on a dark reddish stain that marred the carpeted aisle near the altar. "There were walkers in here! Look, its dried blood."

"Ain't nothin'. We're locked down tight in here." He nodded toward the boarded up front doors. She considered them for a moment, then turned and silently walked back to Gabriel's office.

As darkness began creeping in, Daryl lit a gas lantern that he'd found among the papers and books stacked on the pastor's desk. "It probly won't last all night," he said, "but it'll work for now."

Beth tossed a cushion to the floor and felt along the inside frame of the couch. Daryl watched her from where he sat in a high-back leather office chair. "Yes!" She finally announced. "This thing has a hide-a-bed!" She pulled out the queen-sized sleeper, which already had a sheet and a blanked attached.

Once the bedding was properly assembled, she propped herself on the mattress with one knee and held out her hand. "Come here."

He searched her face but found no clue there. "What for?"

"I... I don't wanna sleep alone."

His heart skipped a beat. Was she...? Could she...? Did this mean...? He stared up at her.

"Come on," she repeated, extending her hand a little further.

Moments later, they were lying side by side. Daryl closed his eyes against the lantern light and forced himself to breathe. As if sensing his discomfort, Beth placed an arm across his chest and began toying with the wisps of dark hair that fell onto his shoulder. Her touch was so light on his skin that it raised goosebumps. Butterflies danced in his stomach. She inched closer. He could feel her breath on his neck. His face burned. He tried to control the sensations he was feeling, the pent up longing, the raw desire.

Her fingers found the buttons on his shirt, and she began undoing them one by one. He grabbed her hand, sat up on his side, and looked into her eyes. Again, he searched her face. When he found no sign of restraint, he took her chin in his hand and leaned forward. His lips brushed hers and remained there for a moment. He took in her sweet, natural scent. Their closeness sent a warm sensation to his lower abdomen. He could feel himself hardening.

His began nibbling at her lips in erotic mini kisses. She slipped her tongue out, and he caught it with his own. His hand went to her hair, and he pulled her down on top of him. She wriggled into to a straddling position. The motion sent a bolt through his groin and he arched up against her.

When she stopped to take a breath from their kiss, she wasted no time in trying to work his shirt the rest of the way off. But he wasn't ready for her to see him yet. He distracted her efforts by pulling her shirt over her head.

The lantern was now very dim, and it threw long shadows across the room. She patiently allowed him to take in her form. His eyes went from her small breasts to her lips then found her eyes. She looked back at him with a hunger he was sure he'd never seen before.

She took his hands and placed them on her breasts. He flattened his hands against them, and then squeezed gently. Another warm sensation made its way through him. As her nipples became rigid in response, he pinched them between his thumbs and forefingers. She gasped and pressed herself against his erection.

The next he knew, Beth's jeans were lying in a pile on the floor and she was reaching for his zipper. He wriggled free of his pants, fully exposing his manhood. She took him in her hand, and his breath caught in his chest. "Oh, God." he whispered. She began gently massaging, up and down, back and forth.

"If you don't stop," he warned, "I may not be able to either."

She smiled down at him. "What makes you think I want you to stop?"

He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the moment. If he was dreaming, he wanted to take in as much as possible before waking up. If he wasn't dreaming, he wanted it to last forever. The way she made him feel inside was incredible. Without thinking, he began slightly moving his hips up and down with the rhythm of her hand. It didn't take long until he felt himself wet on the tip.

He rolled toward her, and began placing kisses up the length of her neck. When he reached her ear, he hesitated. "You know what yer doin' to me?" he said in a husky whisper. She turned and found his lips, claiming them with her own.

He touched the soft nakedness of her skin, tracing along her inner thigh. She quivered from the tickle. His fingertips continued upward until reaching her center. As he pushed her legs apart, she, she rolled onto her back, allowing him entry. He found that she was already quite wet, and it was easy to work his middle finger up inside of her. She moaned and arched upward slightly. He worked up a rhythm, then inserted a second finger. With every thrust his thumb brushed against her clit. He could feel her tightening against his fingers. She grabbed at his chest and found a handful of the shirt he still wore. "Oh God," she breathed.

Daryl stopped just long enough to position himself on top of her. He was careful not to rest his full weight on her tiny frame, instead holding himself up with an elbow. He slid a hand beneath her head and gently cradled it. As he moved himself into position, he looked into her eyes. She reached up, placing one hand on his bicep and the other on his shoulder.

He nibbled his bottom lip, and then slowly, never breaking eye contact, he began to push himself inside her. His pulse quickened as her warmth tightly sheathed him. He restrained himself from thrusting full force, instead continuing with a slow, shallow drive. When she had adjusted to his size, she began moving in a steady rhythm beneath him.

Wrapping her legs around him, she pulled him in deep and kept him there. "Fuck," he whimpered. He wanted to cum inside her right then and there, but he knew it wasn't time yet. Here breath was coming in short gasps and he could feel her nearing the edge of ecstasy. He continued to pump deeper. Careful not to break stride, he shifted his upper body weight above her, giving her room to breathe.

Her body was beginning to stiffen. "I…..Daryl….I think…." She squeezed down on him so tightly he nearly lost control. Her nails dug into his back. "Don't stop don't stop don't stop. PLEASE don't stop," she begged. Then her body went rigid and soft, rigid and soft in a series of waves.

"That's my girl", he said, slowing to a stop when he was sure she was done. He gazed down at her, waiting for his cue to continue. When she opened her eyes they were filled with tears. He panicked. "What's wrong? Did I…did I hurt you?" His heart stopped in his chest.

She smiled up at him and placed her index finger across his lips. "You were perfect Daryl Dixon."

With that, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body as close to his as possible. He started again with slow, shallow thrusts, but lost himself in the ecstasy of the moment. His climax came on with such intensity that he scarcely had time to pull out. He let out a feral moan, and then came against the soft skin of her stomach.


End file.
